Flexible means connecting branch pipes to sprayer booms



NTORS. OMER E R nwm 8. W931 WW AT TORNE Y8 ORLANDO April 24, 1962 o. w. KROMER ETAL FLEXIBLE MEANS CONNECTING BRANCH PIPES TO SPRAYER BOOMS Original Filed March 23, 1959 Uited States Kromer Continuation of application Ser. No. 801,204, Mar. 23, 1959. This application Apr. 27, 1961, Ser. No. 107,002

4 Claims. (Cl. 285-115) Our invention relates generally to pipe connectors and more particularly to flexible connections between branch pipes and primary pipes or conduits; and this application is in the nature of a continuation of allowed application S.N. 801,204 filed March 23, 1959, now abandoned.

Still more specifically, our invention relates to and provides a novel flexible connector particularly adaptable for use in connecting sprayer nozzle-equipped drop pipes to sprayer booms in mobile spraying equipment of the type used in agricultural spraying and the like.

The primary object of our invention is the provision of a device of the class immediately above described which incorporates a minimum of working parts and is atent considerably less expensive to produce than flexible connectors heretofore known.

A further object of our invention is the provision of a device of the class immediately above described which may be installed in a minimum of time and with a minimum of effort and which is rugged, durable, and completely efiicient in its operation thereafter.

The above and still further objects of our invention will become apparent from the following detailed specification, appended claims and attached drawings.

Referring to the drawings wherein like characters indicate like parts throughout the several views:

FIG. 1 is a fragmentary view in perspective of a sprayer boom incorporating our invention;

FIG. 2 is an enlarged fragmentary View in side elevation as seen from left to right with respect to FIG. 1;

FIG. 3 is a fragmentary view in side elevation of the structure of FIG. 2 but showing the opposite side thereof; and

FIG. 4 is .a view in vertical section as seen substantially from the line 44 of FIG. 2, some parts being broken away.

Referring with greater particularity to the drawings, the numeral 1 indicates a conventional tubular spraying boom associated with the mobile sprayer of the type used for agricultural spraying and the like, not shown. The numeral 2 indicates, in its entirety, our novel flexible connector for use with the sprayer boom 1. Preferably, as shown, the connector comprises an outer end portion 3, and inner end portion 4, and a boom clamping portion identified in its entirety by the numeral 5, all of said portions being formed from a single length of resilient wire, the extreme outer end of which is identified by the numeral 6 and the extreme inner end of which is identified by the numeral '7. The outer portion 3 comprises a plurality of helical convolutions 8 in side by side engagement which collectively define a coil spring means for snugly receiving and retaining the inner end portion 9 of a branch connector 10 which, as shown, is in the nature of a drop pipe which is concentric therewith and normal to the axis of the boom 1. The sprayer nozzle on the lower free end of the drop pipe 10 is identified by the numeral 11.

The intermediate and inner portions 4 of our novel connector 2 define an axially extended generally cylindrical chamber 12 which is concentric with the reduced coil spring 3 but, as shown, is formed from a plurality of convolutions 13 in side by side engagement, said convolutions being of greater diameter than the convolutions 8.

In practice, the external diameter of the drop pipe 10 is such that it is threaded into the position of FIG. 4 against the yielding bias of the convolutions 8. Hence, accidental removal of the inner end portion 9 is materially discouraged in view of the fact counterclockwise movements tend to increase the bite of the convolutions 8 thereon.

Coming now to the description of the boom clamping portion 5, it will be noted that the convolutions 13 are of substantially equal pitch, whereas the extreme inner end convolution 13a has a considerably increased or greater pitch than that of the convolutions 13, whereby to define therebetween (that is between the extreme inner end convolution 13a and the adjacent convolution 13b) an opening 13c having an axial dimension at least equal to the thickness of the wire from which our novel connector is formed and for a purpose which will hereinafter be fully explained. After formation of the convolution 13a, the wire from which our novel connector 2 is formed, is bent to provide the boom clamping portion 5, which is in the nature of a yoke made up of a plurality of laterally spaced loop-forming legs 14 and 15 and an arcuate saddle portion 16. As shown, the wire forming the extreme inner convolution 13a forms a portion of the saddle 16 and from thence is bent upwardly to form the leg portion 1412 after which it is bent to form the looped portion 214a and then the opposite leg portion 14c of the leg 14. From the leg portion 14c, the wire again forms a portion of the saddle 16, and successively the leg portion 1511, the loop 15a, the leg portion 150, and finally the spacer-anchoring hook 17.

As shown in FIG. 4, when the boom 1 is snugly received between the legs 14 and 1S and seated upon the saddle portion 16, the loops 14a and 15a respectively formed by their outer ends are aligned for the reception of a nut-equipped clamping bolt 18 extending therethrough generally tangentially of the boom 1.

As shown, the closed end portion 17a of the hook 17 nestingly receives the convolution 13a, with the extreme tip 17b received snugly within the opening 13c and projecting laterally outwardly therefrom. This arrangement assures the convolutions 13a and 13b being maintained in a spread condition at all times and thus assures a substantially constant width laterally opening mouth 19 in diametrically opposed relationship to the opening and intermediate the convolution 13 and the boom 1 for the reception of the intermediate portion of a flexible conduit 20 having a connector 21 at its outer end for screw-threaded engagement with the interior of the extreme inner end of the drop pipe 10 within the chamber 12. At its outer end the flexible connector 20' is provided with a similar connector 22 which has screw-threaded engagement with and is conhected to the interior of the boom 1 in axially or longitudinally spaced relationship to the yoke type clamping portion 5.

Our invention has been thoroughly tested and found to be completely satisfactory for the accomplishment of the above objects, and while we have shown a preferred embodiment thereof, we wish it to be understood that same may be capable of modification without departure from the scope and spirit of the appended claims.

What we claim is:

1. A sprayer boom and flexible connection for an angular rigid branch pipe associated therewith comprising a coil spring formed from a single length of wire and having a reduced outer end in firm gripping engagement with the inner end of said rigid branch pipe, the intermediate and inner end portions of said coil spring defining an axially extended open ended chamber between the inner end of said branch pipe and said boom. the wire comprising the inner end of said coil spring being formed to provide a clamping yoke for the snug reception of said boom, said clamping yoke including spaced legs which define aligned loops at their outer ends for the reception of a clamping bolt extending generally tangentially of said boom, and a flexible pipe section having coupling elements at its opposite ends, and being of a linear length substantially longer than the length of said coil spring in the unextended position thereof, one end of said flexible pipe section being connected to said boom and the opposite end thereof being connected to the inner end of said rigid branch connection within said chamber.

2. The structure defined in claim 1 in which the inner end of said coil spring is spaced from said boom to define a laterally opening passage, said flexible pipe section extending through said passage and being connected to said boom in longitudinally spaced relationship to said clamping yoke, said flexible pipe section being of linear dimensions to permit unrestricted swinging movements of said coil spring and rigid pipe section carried thereby.

3. Means for flexibly connecting a rigid branch pipe to a rigid source pipe, said means comprising a coil tension spring having a reduced outer end in firm gripping engagement with the inner end of said branch pipe, means adjacent the inner end of said spring for securing same to said source pipe with the axis thereof substantially normal to the axis of said source pipe, said last-mentioned means supporting the inner end of said coil spring in spaced relation to said source pipe to provide a passage therebetween, and a flexible pipe section extending through said passage and having one end thereof coupled to said branch pipe within said coil spring, the other end of said flexible pipe section communicating with the interior of said source pipe exteriorly of said spring and in spaced relation thereto.

4. The structure defined in claim 3 in which said lastmentioned means permits axial adjustments of said spring with respect to said source pipe, and in which the other end of said flexible pipe section communicates with said source pipe remote from said spring axially of said source pipe.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS 493,719 Henderson Mar. 21, 1893 927,635 Calvert July 13, 1909 1,095,641 Johnson May 5, 1914 2,013,595 Barnard Sept. 3, 1935 2,705,158 Risley Mar. 29, 1955 FOREIGN PATENTS 1,054,686 France Oct. 7, 1953 OTHER REFERENCES Scientific American Publication, Aug. 7, 1909. 

